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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29994162">Flowers in Hell</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autophagied/pseuds/Autophagied'>Autophagied</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Red Velvet (K-pop Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dark, F/F, Hate to Love, Intense, Irene - Freeform, Irene wants to be a saint, Kang Seulgi - Freeform, Love Triangles, Politics, Prepare your heart before reading this, Revolution, Romance, Seulgi learning to take responsibillity, Seulgi vs Bogum, Some Religion talks, There will be deaths</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:55:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29994162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autophagied/pseuds/Autophagied</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A fated encounter between two girls in the midst of a brewing societal transition had led them into each end of the spectrum of what views are right and wrong. The two would need to reach the point of a middle ground in order for their love to flourish and fight against truths that ask for their lives. </p><p> This will be in the English Language but will be set in the Philippines</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bae Joohyun | Irene/Kang Seulgi, Kang Seulgi/Park Sooyoung | Joy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Irene</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer</p><p>It's imperative that I must warn you, there will be expressed concepts, character opinions that don't necessarily reflect mine but will probably trigger you. If you would like to report it, fine with me, I'm just here to write.</p><p>Some of the organizations and places here will be fictional.</p><p>Characters are not mine</p><p>Lots of ff writers don't like criticism but not me, you can curse at me</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another sigh escaped from Irene's heaving chest seeing the mark of cloth she tore from her shirt hanging on a tree branch. She had her sleeves ripped off and now her midriff was exposed. If her conservative father would see her now, she would just prove to him that she shouldn't go outside by herself.</p><p> </p><p>They live in a small municipality, composed of 73,000 citizens and it was becoming dangerous to live, especially with all the news about the rebels coming out of people's mouths. It's not like Irene isn't aware, oh no, not one bit, she just came outside of their camp after all, where she left Bogum for a while.</p><p> </p><p>It was the first time she was inside with a bunch of men and a few women armed with guns and rifles. She didn’t know where to look! And so she went outside seeking some semblance of calm and peace, but here she got lost instead.</p><p> </p><p>Irene looked up at the blue sky, the sun rays dispersed through the canopy of trees "God...I was just named Reyna Elena, you won't let me die just after and miss my procession right?" Instead of getting an answer, Irene tripped over instead. She also heard a groan different from hers.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey are you alright?"</p><p> </p><p>Irene pulled herself off the ground and turned around ready to give a piece of her mind to the person that just made her taste dirt - but she couldn't.</p><p> </p><p>In front of Irene was one of the prettiest girls she had seen in their municipality, and the cutest too. The girl looked around her age, like 16 maybe, like her. She wiped her face off of dirt.</p><p> </p><p>"I...I'm alright" Irene forced herself to utter, it sounded like a whisper as she looked away. She brought her arms in front to cover her midriff, conscious of the way she was caught at her most ugly time, but that all went away when the girl chuckled and grinned, turning her chubby cheeks up and forming her eyes into a crescent, and making the bruised skin around her left cheek vanish. Has the girl been here for so long she started bruising?</p><p> </p><p>"Great...because you have something that I need"</p><p> </p><p>"What?" Irene's heart quickened, no way was she recognized right? She doesn't know this pretty girl, she couldn't possibly be tagged as one of the rebels by this girl because she foolishly let herself be lost in the woods.</p><p> </p><p>The girl leaned down as if to pick something from her and Irene screamed when she saw what it was "Ahhh! Take it away!!"</p><p> </p><p>The cheeky girl laughed at her reaction "It's not gonna hurt you"</p><p> </p><p>"It was crawling on me" Irene lasered her disgust on the two fat disgusting and painfully alive maggots inside the cheeky girl's shirt she made a hold out of. She shivered knowing one of those almost crawled to her opened skin.</p><p> </p><p>"Well it was your fault for not looking where you were walking...you also made me fall on the wet ground too you know"</p><p> </p><p>True, Irene thought.</p><p> </p><p>The maggot digger gave her a long look, it wasn't obvious to say that both were studying each other's appearances "You look lost"</p><p> </p><p>"I am" At the very least, Irene now has a witness and an alibi why she was coming out of the direction where the rebel camps were "Were you digging maggots?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, they are called beetle grubs and they have a lot of protein"</p><p> </p><p>Irene didn't need to have that information.</p><p> </p><p>"I am going to eat them"</p><p> </p><p>But the latter had her reasons.</p><p> </p><p>Irene gave her a stinky face, right, she wouldn't need to torture herself watching a girl eat larvae like that. But looking around the woods, there was no way she knew how to leave this place and be somewhere safe, maybe this girl knows, if there's anything to go by the girl geared up like she was in a survival show "Do you know how I can leave this place? I live near the Centro, at least show me the road?"</p><p> </p><p>"Sure, I can even give you a ride with my bicycle"</p><p> </p><p>Irene's eyes went big with surprise and joy "Really?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah but I'm not leaving the woods until tomorrow morning"</p><p> </p><p>The lost girl became even more lost. Still, Irene opted to go with the grub-eating girl of her adventure because it was better than being lost, she had to survive too after all, and the latter knew.</p><p> </p><p>Irene decided she would have to deal with the girl, or as what her empty stomach decided when it let out a loud grumble, making the two of them aware of just how hungry she was.</p><p> </p><p>Though she insisted that she couldn't eat the larvae.</p><p> </p><p>But the grub eater insisted too because the river was yet a kilometer away.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"I am not eating a disgusting worm"</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>"We will grill it, it will just taste like isaw"</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Irene threw her a glare, she was becoming impatient and it showed. The other girl had to back away and just put her grubs in a container and put it away in her large backpack. She started leading her to the river. The stranger was quite easy to persuade, like her father.</p><p> </p><p>"You don't look like someone who doesn't go into the woods alone, who were you with? How did you lose them?"</p><p> </p><p>Great, Irene's entitled groveling for the last half an hour probably gave it away "I was with a friend…I lost him along the way when we were resting"</p><p> </p><p>"Him?..."</p><p> </p><p>Irene's eyes squinted. She opted to not talk because she doesn't know if Bogum really is just a friend or what.</p><p> </p><p>Would she have followed him into insurgency just because he is her friend? Was she really here because she found the government lacking in addressing the welfare and development of their municipality? letting more poor people die out of hunger because of their corruption? It was no wonder why more and more frustrated people are joining the rebellion. Was it Bogum who lessened the harm of the idea of a rebellion?</p><p> </p><p>What would her parents say?</p><p> </p><p>Irene clenched her teeth, her father would surely disown her, especially as he is running for mayorship in their municipality.</p><p> </p><p>"Not much of a talker eh?"</p><p> </p><p>Irene couldn't answer because the latter already jumped down to a deep drop, and she was left there standing by the edge with a coward's heart "I...I don't think I could jump down"</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully she was heard, and the grub eater walked back to her. Beyond them was already the river where hopefully there are fishes.</p><p> </p><p>"Hah...what could you have done if it weren't for me lady"</p><p> </p><p>Irene wished she wasn't the reason for that cocky smirk displayed across the grub eater's lips, but she couldn't deny how it looked perfectly good on the stranger "Just please help me"</p><p> </p><p>"Okay...reach for my hand"</p><p> </p><p>Irene's heart stopped a beat. The soft and warm voice of the latter somehow pervades across the other loud sounds of nature, and Irene was caught off guard.</p><p> </p><p>Irene reached for the other girl's hand and started to step on the steep drop.</p><p> </p><p>"Slowly…" The other girl assured softly and when Irene was forced by the slope's angle to step down faster, almost running as to not fall, the gravity had led her into the other girl's arm.</p><p> </p><p>Irene felt an arm around her torso, securing her safe along with securing the gaze of the latter where she found two deep orbs where the light of the sun hits, making it golden.</p><p> </p><p>Warmth crawled from Irene's chest and to her cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>Her thoughts went haywire and started warning her brain. Irene pushed the other girl away.</p><p> </p><p>"Your welcome" The stranger gave a lopsided grin.</p><p> </p><p>Irene hates how she seemed to be the only one affected but she hates herself more.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn't like Irene was scared of strangers, but she does have to be wary, especially when meeting new people because she needs to uphold some kind of a reputation, it was hard to not care about what people think of her.</p><p> </p><p>So being with a stranger, seeing her so out of her element, it irked Irene.</p><p> </p><p>She stopped thinking about herself and focused on the other girl who was now rolling a black rubber to make a makeshift spear with her knife and some long dry branch "Have you been living inside the woods?"</p><p> </p><p>The grub eater laughed and God why does that sound so cute? "Nope...But I would always come here whenever I have to avoid someone"</p><p> </p><p>That reminded Irene of the bruise on the other girl's cheek, but Irene didn't have a chance to ask when the latter gave her a lighter and told her to make a fire, then went to the river to start using her makeshift spear and catch fish.</p><p> </p><p>And after ten minutes of pure silence and focus radiating from the survival adept girl, a cheer erupted from her causing Irene to do the same seeing two freshly caught fish on the latter's spear just as she was done making a fire for the first time.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly it felt like she had known the other girl all her life. She would like to know the other girl's name but that would mean telling hers too, so she opted not to.</p><p> </p><p>"You must be a lucky charm...I have never caught a fish here because the river's current is quite fast and so are the fish...and yet I got two in one strike!"</p><p> </p><p>Irene couldn't help but chuckle at the other girl's excitement.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey I made you smile!...you've been painfully grumpy since we met"</p><p> </p><p>"I was just scared...of being lost"</p><p> </p><p>"Well I must say...you look even more beautiful smiling"</p><p> </p><p>Irene tucked her hair behind her ear feeling her cheeks get warmer and looked away.</p><p> </p><p>The other girl had started descaling the two fishes and gutted them. Irene had been continuously impressed by the survival skills of this girl, she felt like she would never get hungry around this woman.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey I never asked your name"</p><p> </p><p>Irene swallowed her own saliva "Well...I never asked yours"</p><p> </p><p>Irene had sounded cold, but she swore she didn't mean to be rude. She saw how the smile on the other girl's lips dropped with surprise evident on her eyes. Perhaps Irene should have just lied, she bit her lips from guilt, but she couldn't risk her name to a stranger when this woods housed the rebels.</p><p> </p><p>"Ohh...okay"</p><p> </p><p>How painfully awkward, it dragged until the other girl had grilled the fish with her skewers, had offered the cooked meal to Irene and had to finally give her thanks to her life savior.</p><p> </p><p>"You...will still help me go back to the Centro right?"</p><p> </p><p>"Of course…" The other girl's smile didn't reach her eyes this time.</p><p> </p><p>Irene wondered if she was meant to be a rebel, how come just omitting her name made her mind all jumbled?</p><p> </p><p>Is she really cut out for this? Could she have handled a double life like Bogum?</p><p> </p><p>Was Bogum's words enough to assure her? She recalled how he had coaxed her into coming to the woods. How they are going to help the poor, how they are going to help bring change to the world, how she would be able to give rise to the revolution they needed while saving a war from happening.</p><p> </p><p>The other girl silently ate while avoiding making eye contact with her. She must have thought of Irene as an ungrateful little bitch while playing nice. This is just a small price to pay, it's not like she would see the other girl again.</p><p> </p><p>"Irene!"</p><p> </p><p>The two girls by the fire turned towards the source of the sound.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm here!"</p><p> </p><p>Irene could just feel the surprise from the other girl. She had just made her name known.</p><p> </p><p>Coming out from the shadows of the trees emerged Bogum and Solar marching towards them and before Irene could stop Bogum, the teen-aged boy already drew his pistol and aimed at the grub eater.</p><p> </p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p> </p><p>"Please stop...she helped me when I got lost...you found me now Bogum...let's just go" Irene could hear her own heart beating "Drop your gun now" Her shaking hand rested on Bogum’s gun, urging to drop it down.</p><p> </p><p>That seemed to clear Bogum's head and reminded them of their position "Oh...is that so? I'm sorry for aiming a gun at you...the woods are just kind of dangerous around here...my research says before we go camping that we need to protect ourselves...I just have to protect my girl you know? I hope you understand"</p><p> </p><p>"Ye-yeah...I perfectly understand, I would have done the same"</p><p> </p><p>Lie</p><p> </p><p>The way the stranger’s voice quivered saying it was already an indication.</p><p> </p><p>'You're too nice to do something like Bogum...too nice to change the world'</p><p> </p><p>'Stop smiling so innocently...'</p><p> </p><p>Irene grabbed Bogum away, turning her back to the innocent grub-eating girl.</p><p> </p><p>With a last side glance, Irene took her one last chance 'Goodbye stranger...I wish we hadn't seen each other '</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Reyna Elena - is one of the major titles in a religious festival here in the Philippines depicting Queen Helen and is the last woman that marches in a procession called Major Santa Cruzan.</p><p> </p><p>Municipality - In this context is a local government unit that is less developed than a city. Provinces in the Philippines are composed of cities and municipalities relative to their level of urban development and income. </p><p> </p><p>Centro - Municipal center where the population mostly centers</p><p> </p><p>Isaw - a chicken or pork grilled intestine, a famous street food in the philippines</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Faults</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite the height of the heat of the tropical sun, it was still rather fresh to stand just by the awning of the school’s entrance Irene was volunteering to teach elementary students.</p><p> </p><p>There were only a few public teachers left in their municipality, most already found jobs in the metro, others sought higher living standards overseas, only monthly remitting money to their loved ones left behind here in their province.</p><p> </p><p>And being one who couldn't dare just sit around, Irene needed to put herself out there, besides the children were great distractors, she had probably seen all kinds of rocks and seashells the children offered to her. For some kind of reason, the kids, mostly boys, had this silent competition of who would offer her the prettiest object they could give to her, while the girls would give her a stalk of flowers, or a bracelet made out of Santan flower.</p><p> </p><p>But soon it became rather buzzing. Bogum had visited her, now one of the councilors in their municipality. Everyone they passed by would engage him in small talk that he entertained no matter how trivial it is.</p><p> </p><p>"Councilor what do you think about making our schools yellow?"</p><p> </p><p>Bogum gave a courteous laugh before humbly dismissing it with him thinking about it.</p><p> </p><p>It couldn't be helped, he was like this when he was running for the position, Irene knew, she was with him in his every journey. She saw him standing in front of other people, charming them with his straight back confidence, and with his assuring pretty smile, telling the most disadvantaged that they are seen.</p><p> </p><p>That was four years ago, before being elected again last year for the same position.</p><p> </p><p>He was a responsible and hard-working guy, working longer hours than his co-councilors, he would visit his constituents asking them what they needed.</p><p> </p><p>Bogum has everything Irene is looking for when it comes to a partner, and they have been doing fine being together, they also have the same view in politics; people first before anything, a government for the people.</p><p> </p><p>With her father earning the mayorship of the municipality, Irene had also earned other people's love, always being the face of every festival, her beauty being always next to none, that reception also channeled to anyone whom she endorses, which she gave to Bogum and thus earning him his seat in the municipality and saving them from unnecessary revolution, saving them from using guerilla wars.</p><p> </p><p>And with her father now a governor, her influence became even firmer.</p><p> </p><p>"They were asking when our wedding will be...they are funny, your co-teachers," Bogum said as soon as they sat at their table for lunch.</p><p> </p><p>Despite their seemingly perfect match that everyone wanted to root for, she couldn't give Bogum the signal to go for it, and she hated this indecisiveness, Irene had always known what she wanted, Irene smiled "Have you already got in touch with Kris"</p><p> </p><p>Bogum's face slowly dropped "Not yet...but I took hold of one of our comrades that followed him...he said I lost their trust"</p><p> </p><p>A few seconds passed and Irene still wasn't surprised.</p><p> </p><p>Her heart sank that she couldn't do anything about it because Irene understood why. Bogum should have said 'We'</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>It was only just minutes ago when they were sparring on the ring and Seulgi was being tackled down by this woman now writhing under her with pleasure.</p><p> </p><p>Krystal let out a satisfying high-pitched moan and Seulgi dove down to hungrily kiss her and shut her up from being too loud, she wouldn't want her neighbor knocking down on her door again.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi sighed, plopping down next to Krystal and cleaning her fingers with her own mouth "I told you, it's not that bad to be under me for once right?"</p><p> </p><p>"You lose in our sparring every time that I took pity with you and finally agreed to your offer" Krystal smiled at her and trailed her fingers over Seulgi's chest "Maybe next time do better and tackle me down on the ring instead"</p><p> </p><p>A chuckle left Seulgi "Well if you'd let me fuck you when I win I'll definitely train hard"</p><p> </p><p>Krystal hovered over Seulgi before giving a goodbye kiss "Of course...if we always end up like this, how could I not? But now I need to go to the gym"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi watched as Krystal moved around her room, wearing back her clothes and checking her appearance in the mirror.</p><p> </p><p>Seven years of living alone had made Seulgi be extra aware of other people's movements, watching them bring life out of their own body surprisingly entertained Seulgi, it gave her other reasons to think other than herself.</p><p> </p><p>But when Krystal said her goodbye and left, Seulgi was back meeting the silence of her room.</p><p> </p><p>She took a stick of cigarette from her bedside table, lit it, and took a puff. She watched as the smoke danced around her face.</p><p> </p><p>She took another whiff, it was so satisfying and calm that when she closed her eyes, her mind decided to break its silence</p><p> </p><p>"Please introduce yourself…"</p><p> </p><p>"I-...I-…" Seulgi's heart pounded so hard and fast that it blocked whatever words Seulgi tried to utter from her mind.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi watched others’ expectant gaze, waiting for her to speak out her name and when her body won't allow it, she panicked even more.</p><p> </p><p>"Well...are you mute child?"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi coughed up the smoke she accidentally swallowed. She ran outside to fetch water but a woman in a fitted red dress stood by the middle of her living room glued Seulgi to her current position.</p><p> </p><p>The unruly woman followed with her gaze the red woman who suited herself on her armchair "Senator Joy...how generous of you to grace this humble abode" In their neighborhood and compared to everyone else outside the metro, Seulgi's abode was far from humble, however, with Joy stepping in, everything seemed lowly in contrast to her presence "Water?"</p><p> </p><p>"Vodka"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi swallowed</p><p> </p><p>This will be a long talk.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>They didn't go straight to whatever was Joy's going to talk about, their carnal needs got the best of them and now Seulgi ran her fingers over Joy's hair while they cuddled naked over her bed.</p><p> </p><p>"How many women did you sleep with while I was gone?"</p><p> </p><p>"You're gone for only a month...I am not that savage"</p><p> </p><p>Joy glared at her</p><p> </p><p>"Uhh...Two?"</p><p> </p><p>"You're not even sure" Joy stood up and threw the blanket right at Seulgi's face.</p><p> </p><p>"You're finding yourself a husband Joy...what else am I to do?"</p><p> </p><p>"Because you're a mess" Joy accused and threw her arms out "I am a politician who thinks ahead of everyone... I need some sense of stability"</p><p> </p><p>"And that's why you want a family and children, I get that" Seulgi looked down, avoiding Joy's gaze "I just don't want to be part of it…"</p><p> </p><p>"You're smart...you're charming...if only you were wiser, you could have had everything"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi smiled at Joy "Well I just like being happy and free"</p><p> </p><p>Joy exasperated and went back to Seulgi's body, leaning her head to the other woman. Seulgi hesitantly put her arm across the politician, pulling her close to her.</p><p> </p><p>This isn't even something new, they always find themselves in the same situation. Joy was her best friend, her first girlfriend, her savior, her angel and she was the devil with a broken wing. Joy's hope for her was just too heavy.</p><p> </p><p>"Such an easy life you lead Seulgi...but I can't be like you...there's a lot to fix and a lot of dumb people ruining this country for me, for the future children, and for the one I love, even if that person doesn’t love me the way I love her"</p><p> </p><p>Perhaps it's not entirely avoidable to hear politicians talk this way, but Seulgi knew Joy was real with her intentions, and that's why she couldn't lie to her to make the other feel better. She doesn’t trust herself, it's dumb, abhorrent, and despicable of hers if she would expect others to trust her too "I'm...I'm sorry"</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>"Irene...Irene honey"</p><p> </p><p>Irene woke up to the incessant shake on her body and to her mother's distressed face "What's happening ma?"</p><p> </p><p>"It's the rebels, your father received a tip that they are coming here, come on we need to go, your father already called the forces"</p><p> </p><p>Irene could only nod and follow her mother's hastened steps for about two corridors to their back door. She looked back as if waiting for something "Where's papa?"</p><p> </p><p>"He's staying to command the military" Her mother said.</p><p> </p><p>Irene flinched as she opened the car's door. She left with her mother as their driver drove them to another safe place, probably her aunt's. She couldn't stop herself from looking back. Irene clenched her fists, the armed rebels probably wanted her, forcing her to their side be it voluntary or not.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn't supposed to go like this.</p><p> </p><p>But south of the capital metro, this large block of an island situated at the right wing of the archipelagic country lived in a rather different time, dissociated from the development of the capital. Irene's father, being the governor of this island, faces all the flaws and woes of its citizens.</p><p> </p><p>Irene had already helped Bogum and his revolutionist party to establish their influence in their local municipality as a congressman, and although there are his other co-members taking a seat in other municipalities of the region, their mission statement proved to be harder to bear fruit, even if Irene help lobby it to her father and other councilors. The clear slow pace led to disgruntled party members expelling themselves and forming a new rebel group and armed themselves as led by Kris, saying that Bogum had forgotten what they were fighting for in the first place.</p><p> </p><p>Bogum was at her aunt’s when Irene arrived. He opened the door for her, greeting her mother and asking to talk to her alone.</p><p> </p><p>"Just be careful with her Bogum...I can't trust anyone these days"</p><p> </p><p>"Of course auntie...I won't let anything happen to your daughter"</p><p> </p><p>Irene just grabbed Bogum's wrist and led her away from the two-story house, standing under a tree beside a lamp post "What did Kris do this time?"</p><p> </p><p>"His group is reigning terror on the neighborhood who has family members working outside the island and country" Bogum couldn't look at her in the eyes "Pillaging them"</p><p> </p><p>Irene released a deep sigh "Jesus...they are getting uncontrollable"</p><p> </p><p>"There’s no budget for them, no budget for their farms and water...the inner committee won't give it to me, they have other priorities in the metro, and the government budget here is limited enough" Bogum placed his hands on both Irene's arm, running his thumb along.</p><p> </p><p>Irene knew where this was going.</p><p> </p><p>"They listen to you...we just need to take them back, remind them that all suffering is equal...we just need to bear with it, we have to endure it together than alone"</p><p> </p><p>"They are rebelling because they don't want to suffer anymore Bogum" Irene removed both Bogum's hands from her but he instead locked their hands pleadingly.</p><p> </p><p>"They'll see we are going to progress with our policies if we two finally make it official in front of our comrades, you are well-liked in the entire island, with you and me as the future governor we will make even larger changes that even the inner committee will be able to recognize"</p><p> </p><p>Irene forcefully took back her hands "We've been politicizing for so long but there's still not much change" She hissed and then embraced her own body "And I can't help but be guilty if we were to marry and be happy while other of our comrades are suffering...fix this first Bogum"</p><p> </p><p>She kept both her arms to herself, shielding herself from the height of the night's coldness. She went inside to her aunt's home.</p><p> </p><p>"Come here honey...lets pray for our safety and your father's"</p><p> </p><p>Irene hesitantly took the rosary her mother gave to her and followed her mother to their made altar with different idolatries.</p><p> </p><p>Having seen suffering inwardly and everywhere she goes, it went harder for her to utter a prayer that had only been memorized.</p><p> </p><p>What's the point of it?</p><p> </p><p>Bogum had told her the dissonance of such prayers, or any prayer at all. The friars had only introduced it to keep people complacent, to be humbled, to be kept at bay, to just accept the hardships that unscrupulous and corrupted people in power who didn't care about them had put them through with their selfish desires.</p><p> </p><p>Irene stopped her memorized prayer. Watch her mother continue her own prayer, and stand up to lock herself in the bathroom. Irene put the toilet cover down and sat on top of it. She placed her palms over her mouth waiting for thoughts to come. It was silent, and Irene could just feel tears sliding down from her eyes.</p><p>
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</p><p>A loud thud on the floor woke Joy up, she's a very light sleeper and any significant sound could wake her up in an instant. Her life could never spare her rest.</p><p> </p><p>Leaning on the wall while sitting on the floor was Seulgi, looking at her ceiling with empty wide eyes and a heaving chest. Joy quickly ran to her lover, waking her up from her stupor "Seulgi...Seulgi...hey...listen to my voice Seulgi...you're alright…you're here with me...wake up honey" Joy tapped Seulgi's cheek and finally felt the latter grab her hand.</p><p> </p><p>The last time she had found Seulgi like this was when they were in their first year of college and the woman just lost her father to a heart attack, the woman couldn't speak for days.</p><p> </p><p>"Wendy just called...my mom got a stroke…" Seulgi took a hard breath "She's in the hospital right now"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh my God…"</p><p> </p><p>"She's in a coma, but they said she will live" Seulgi stood up, nodding at herself as if to encourage herself to be firm and strong, pulling Joy up as well.</p><p> </p><p>Joy embraced Seulgi as well and after a few calming seconds, the softened woman broke it "I gotta go back to Vidac...a bunch of lawless men broke into our home causing her great distress...It’s dangerous for her to be alone at this time"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi broke the hug, standing in front of Joy now was the same woman she fell in love with years ago. Broke up parts picking itself up again "Do you want me to accompany you? At least for a few days?"</p><p> </p><p>"You don't have to...you're a senator...the nation needs you more than me"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi is so beautiful, so charming in all display of her emotion that Joy could only just crush her lips against the latter, pulling the other woman's upper lip hungrily, urging her to open her mouth and reciprocate, which the latter did.</p><p> </p><p>They both pulled away for air "I can always have time for you"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi smiled "I know...that's why you need it for yourself"</p><p> </p><p>Joy smiled at herself, she lowered her head and buried her face on Seulgi's neck silently pleading for the latter to see her side. Sometimes she blames herself for Seulgi's descent to hedonism, maybe they really just can't complement each other. Would she be willing to wait for the latter? "I'll arrange your flight...are you going to stay there? What about your job?"</p><p> </p><p>"I'm just their typical data analyst, I'm replaceable...it's getting burdensome there anyways"</p><p> </p><p>"Don't talk like that...you were once my consultant with my economic policies before" Joy smiled at the memory "It won me my debate against the opposing side and earned me a lower house seat"</p><p> </p><p>"My only win in life" Seulgi laughed silently "I'm sorry I can't be enough for you…"</p><p> </p><p>Joy dug herself deeper into the other woman's body "I just wanted you to try"</p><p> </p><p>"I could never start...it feels like drowning…I don't want to go back to when I couldn't speak"</p><p> </p><p>"But you're going back to that horrible place, will you be ready?"</p><p> </p><p>Joy could pick up the sound of the moment when Seulgi's breath started getting heavier.</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe this would be a wake-up call...who knows"</p><p> </p><p>A light chuckle from the both of them shifted the atmosphere in the room.</p><p> </p><p>"Just know that I will always be here for you...no matter what I am to you"</p><p> </p><p>"You deserve so much better than someone like me"</p><p> </p><p>"I know" And Joy knows it's true.</p><p> </p><p>'I wanted it to be you' Joy could only allow herself to say it in her head.</p><p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Extremes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>"So you're here"</p><p> </p><p>Irene looked up from her book to see Bogum walking towards her. She got down from the thick branch anchored on the lipote tree trunk horizontally.</p><p> </p><p>It was siesta time, most people are just resting at this hour and napping but Bogum looked far from being rested. He looked distressed.</p><p> </p><p>Naturally, Irene brought her palm on Bogum's cheek and caressed it with her thumb "What is it?"</p><p> </p><p>"The brigade here just got a new commander, an anti-terrorist specialized colonel"</p><p> </p><p>Irene took back her hand, comfort alone wouldn't solve this problem "Kris is acting on his own, he's just a grieving rebel, not a terrorist...unless the internal committee has already funded him?"</p><p> </p><p>Fortunately, Bogum shook his head "They wanted me, us, to stop him"</p><p> </p><p>Irene sat back on the tree's low branch and ran her hand across the trunk "In any case...we need to address what happened in the upper-middle-class neighborhood...and the one victim that got hospitalized" Irene took back her hand and offered it to Bogum.</p><p> </p><p>The beguiled man took it and securely held it.</p><p> </p><p>Irene frowned, her apprehension still remained.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What Seulgi expected to be a normal day wasn't normal at all, and soon she realized that it would be the scenario of her everyday life in the school.</em>
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  <em>They looked at her with apprehension mixed with disgust. Seulgi was confused, she waved a hand at her friends but when she tried walking to them, a tall guy blocked her path, he was a schoolmate she never talked to before.</em>
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  <em>"Hey Kang Seulgi" He called with an innocent smile</em>
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  <em>The corner of her lips tugged up, confused, but amused that she was recognized by someone she doesn't know "Do you believe in Christ?"</em>
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  <em>Taken aback by the abrupt question, Seulgi tried to laugh it off but a lot of students were now circling her, watching her with intent and expectations, of what, Seulgi wasn't sure, this is a public school and religion weren't compulsory but a lot of people here are Catholic, as generally of provinces "Yea-Yeah...I do-do believe in Him" She stuttered.</em>
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  <em>"Then denounce your father and brother right now"</em>
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  <em>Seulgi couldn't even feel the force from the guy's push, but she was now on the ground looking up to this guy as if she was under his mercy.</em>
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  <em>"They are murderous pricks Seulgi! They kill someone else’s brother! Someone else son! Someone else’s father, how are you a Christian and tolerate your father and brother taking advantage of their uniform ha? Shame on you!"</em>
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  <em>Tagged as a hypocritical Christian slaved to the whims and tyranny of the government's military to the rebels, Seulgi had been avoided by her friends, and generally by people.</em>
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  <em>It's not a secret that many of the people in Vidac are rebel sympathizers, after all, they were also once their fellow farmer, fellow fisherman, your fellow neighborhood that generally expresses their grievances to the government that otherwise were only expressed by other normal citizens in some passing by conversations.</em>
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  <em>And Seulgi could only bottle it up. Even if they doused her bag with red ink soiling all her books and papers or if they bothered her every lunch, Seulgi had pushed her feelings inside, only blaming everyone, herself, blaming her father, and before she could think about blaming her dead brother, she had stopped herself from feeling.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi ran through the corridor of the ferry, not minding if she bumped anyone on the way, and quickly leaned over the dock. She pushed all she had eaten before taking aboard the ship. She grimaced having defiled the sea "I apologize for my disgusting being" She uttered to the sea.</p><p> </p><p>A giggle somehow capped over the sound of sea waves hitting the ferry ship and the loud sound of the wind. Seulgi turned to her side and saw the pretty woman that had been catching her eyes since the plane flight before touching down in the neighboring province. What great luck that they also have the same ferry ride. Seulgi coughed up her confidence back and sprayed a mint spray on her mouth. If you like talking to pretty women you must be ready, is Seulgi's rule in life.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi strut to the pretty lady with a polite smile on her lips "I have great respect with nature as you see, I had to apologize"</p><p> </p><p>"For your disgusting being...yes I heard it...I hope you're fine now" The woman teased.</p><p> </p><p>Now closer in proximity, Seulgi found it even harder to take her attention away from the woman. The latter's face had a classic Japanese beauty. She could don the cover of Plastic Love and Seulgi wouldn't know the difference "I'm good...I felt better actually, especially now" Seulgi matched her statement with her smoldering gaze that had the woman shyly smiling to herself before looking away to the vast horizon of the sea.</p><p> </p><p>"If you think I'm an easy woman, I'm not...you might be charming but I’ve had plenty a share of people like you"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi chuckled "You don't know me yet"</p><p> </p><p>"I don't have to, I already know where this is going"</p><p> </p><p>"Sex in the backseat?"</p><p> </p><p>The woman laughed along with Seulgi. She was a no-go, a rare occurrence when Seulgi flirts with someone. But this was better than being stuck with Wendy the whole ferry ride.</p><p> </p><p>"Seulgi" The flirtatious woman offered her hand for a shake.</p><p> </p><p>"Mina"</p><p> </p><p>They engaged more in a civil talk, Mina is beautiful, but she was more demure than Seulgi had thought. Her family owned a resort in Vidac, which they thought necessary for Mina to learn to manage, which is why she was coming back home to her birthplace after living in Japan for a while.</p><p> </p><p>"The island is unstable...I heard from my uncle that the rebels had risen up again after being silent for years...they even pillaged a neighborhood two weeks ago, instability is no good for business"</p><p> </p><p>Right, it had been two weeks for Seulgi before she could properly resign from her work and two weeks of worrying about her mother. She turned to Mina again "Yeah...that's textbook economics, was your uncle got broken in too by the rebels?"</p><p> </p><p>"No...he's the governor of the Island"</p><p> </p><p>"The governor? Pretty face, rich and with good connection...how are you single yet?"</p><p> </p><p>Mina gave her that prissy smile of hers’ that Seulgi had been finding pretty she couldn't help but be encouraged to do better in this conversation, so she could witness that smile more and more.</p><p> </p><p>"Because I wanted someone extraordinary, someone responsible, someone who can rise up beyond her limits, who's not a slave to her own vices" Mina listed it out all while looking straight at Seulgi all throughout. Mina had just repeatedly punched down Seulgi's self-respect.</p><p> </p><p>"You're unmerciful"</p><p> </p><p>Mina laugh "It's a price I have to pay...and I'm not the only one thinking this way you know, I know my friends do, and especially my meticulous cousin" Mina rolled her eyes thinking about it "Something I unfortunately shared with her"</p><p> </p><p>"You sound like you hate your cousin"</p><p> </p><p>"Hate is a strong word...it's more like all throughout lives we've been compared with one another, so I don't like sharing something similar with her"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi shrugged "Well you are both women...you can't help that can you?"</p><p> </p><p>Mina giggled again in the same way that could make one crazy "Well aren't you clever?"</p><p> </p><p>The loud horn from the ferry told them that they had reached the docks "Looks like it’s time to go" Mina jabbed her finger on Seulgi's chest haughtily "Vidac is not that big...maybe we will see each other again...Don't worry Seulgi, you might not be my type but you left quite an impression" she said with a farewell smile before walking out of the deck.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi watched the docks and exhaled hard, she gasped in surprise with her cousin's appearance beside her.</p><p> </p><p>"Already flirting with someone?"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi shrugged, following back to Wendy's rented car inside the ferry's load "Nah...she's not into it, and it's highly unlikely for me to hook up with anyone here"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah because you'll get shot at the moment you do, gossips here travel fast because people are so bored you know, you might have hooked up with someone else’s wife who knows," Wendy said maneuvering that Honda car back down off the loading ramp.</p><p> </p><p>"Well I meant about what people think of me"</p><p> </p><p>"Ohhh..."Wendy trailed, while Seulgi avoided her side glance "That's already nine years ago...I don't think anyone remembers you as that person...and compared to your pitiful being before, you have changed a lot...I mean you even became girlfriends with senator Joy!, the youngest, smartest, and the most gorgeous senator the country has ever had" excitement got the best of Wendy as Seulgi held on to the car's grip when the car swerved to the side.</p><p> </p><p>"Easy there...I know you have the hots for Joy but please I still need to see mama"</p><p> </p><p>"Hehe...sorry...any chance she will visit you here?"</p><p> </p><p>"You'll be the first to know" Even if they were not together anymore, Seulgi already misses Joy, she had never been deliberately away from the senator.</p><p> </p><p>It was always Joy who would be away, and Seulgi would be the one waiting for the woman, she was like the maturer one who took care of her pathetic ass, the one who made her find her voice back.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi was debating to herself whether she should call Joy when Wendy abruptly stopped in the middle of the road.</p><p> </p><p>A large fallen tree was blocking the road.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh no…."</p><p> </p><p>"What is it?"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi was going to open her door when Wendy stopped her. And when she turned to look at her side, she saw a man with a bandana covering his face opening the car's door harshly.</p><p> </p><p>"Come out!"</p><p> </p><p>And soon there was also another man on Seulgi's side shouting the same thing at her.</p><p> </p><p>"Hands up and move in front of the car!" The bandits aimed their rifles at them, forcing them to move per their order.</p><p> </p><p>"He-hey…can we talk about this?"</p><p> </p><p>Wendy's diplomatic plea wouldn't get them anywhere. The moment another man came with a zip tie on his hand and black blindfold, it became apparent to Seulgi what their intentions were.</p><p>
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</p><p>A miscalculation of the nine-year-old girl on hitting their shuttlecock with her badminton racket resulted in her horror "Oh no it went to the whisperer's house"</p><p> </p><p>The nine-year-old and her fourteen-year-old sister ran in front of the large rusting, and old gate with its paint peeling off. Their shuttlecock laid rest undisturbed from the creeping silence of the house that their neighborhood says would insidiously whisper at night, just to scare their indulgent child watching on their phones still late at night.</p><p> </p><p>"Did you see the old whisperer when she was sent to the hospital ate <em>(a-teh)</em> Ningning?"</p><p> </p><p>"Of course I did," Ningning said, ever the curious kid "She's actually not that old...though she has lots of gray hair"</p><p> </p><p>"Ningning! Liwayway! You little devils, why are you both here outside?" Running towards the siblings was their fuming mother.</p><p> </p><p>"We were bored! It’s tiresome being holed up inside the house" Ningning said</p><p> </p><p>Their mother grabbed her chest as if she was going to get a heart attack "You critters really want me to die, don't you? Its as if rebels just didn't pillage this neighborhood, go back there or I'm gonna smack your butts both"</p><p> </p><p>The siblings groaned but either way followed their mother, it's true after all, their neighborhood isn't safe anymore.</p><p>
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</p><p>Flashes of light welcomed Irene and her father as soon as they got out of the government-issued car.</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you for coming Yeri" Irene walked to the awaiting journalist while her father arranged their visit inside the hospital.</p><p> </p><p>"I must say...that white dress looks so good on you...well you never once looked bad in any dress"</p><p> </p><p>Irene smiled with appreciation "Was Mrs. Kang the only one hospitalized? Did we have any more casualties?"</p><p> </p><p>"Fortunately there was no casualty as graved as this one"</p><p> </p><p>Irene nodded, she wouldn't have known what to do if Kris and his group managed to hurt any civilian, at least his saneness was still intact "Did you find the relative of the victim?"</p><p> </p><p>"Of course he's here now...but how'd you know that the daughter is a no go?"</p><p> </p><p>"Why? What have you found out?"</p><p> </p><p>"I talked with some of her classmates before and they told me that she just became so quiet, they said she would give them threatening looks and pretty much many of them say they don't feel safe around her...and that she's not on the island right now, do you know this Kang Seulgi personally?"</p><p> </p><p>"Not personally" But Irene couldn't keep her body from lying, she felt her chest getting tighter "What else have you found out?"</p><p> </p><p>"Hmm...well I followed her social media, and everything about it is messy, she flaunts her money to attract women, she flaunts her sex life to attract women, and she flaunts herself to attract women…at least that’s what her captions imply" Yeri threw her hands in surrender after listing on her fingers everything she found about Seulgi messy.</p><p> </p><p>"Despicable" Irene pulled her head back and straightened her body, she looked at Yeri straight on the eyes "We have to protect our cause Yeri...I'll talk to Kris soon but I don't want my father taking all the heat from the upper-middle class, we need another perspective to run the story"</p><p> </p><p>For a second Irene thought Yeri wouldn't agree, but the younger woman nodded her head in understanding "You wanted the messy part highlighted…"</p><p> </p><p>"People will find someone to blame from what happened to the victim...blaming my father will only unstabilized the island, and blaming those at the bottom of our society is just going to justify people to be complacent on the grievances of our comrades…" Irene took a deep breath, like what she did nine years ago before telling Bogum what he needed to do instead "You know what you need to do Yeri"</p><p>
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</p><p>Irene passed by the room where her father and the brother of Mrs. Kang were being interviewed by Yeri and stopped by in front of the private room where they told them Mrs. Kang was being treated.</p><p> </p><p>She held the door handle but somehow, she couldn't have the strength to twist it open.</p><p> </p><p>The woman was still in a state of comatose.</p><p> </p><p>It seemed unfair to the older woman, she would be asleep while her daughter's character got attacked. But it was not like their society and the world is any fairer.</p><p> </p><p>Irene took back her hand and left.</p><p> </p><p>Behind that door is the unknown.</p><p> </p><p>And she couldn't face it yet.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
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</p><p>"Seulgi...Seul…"</p><p> </p><p>"I'm still breathing Wendy" Seulgi was monitoring her heart, for some unknown reason, it hadn't been that erratic at all ever since they started trekking the mountain. Perhaps it was her old body keen on survival skills that's taking over her mind and stopping her from having any panic attack.</p><p> </p><p>With their blindfolds on, Seulgi and Wendy could only feel each other inside this small cabin where the rebels had locked them.</p><p> </p><p>"We've been here for a while, aside from robbing us, they haven't done anything yet...we weren't that far from the foot of the mountain too...I am guessing this is a pick-up site"</p><p> </p><p>"Pick-up?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, I heard from the two that were dragging me up that they were confused about taking us…something changed from their operations, did Changmin tell you anything?" Seulgi asked, knowing that Wendy's brother was an active soldier assigned in this island.</p><p> </p><p>"Changmin? Ohh...right, he told me he will be gone for a while longer because they are going to crack down these rebels for good"</p><p> </p><p>That was it, Seulgi thought "I see"</p><p> </p><p>"You see? Why are you so calm about this?"</p><p> </p><p>"Quiet" Seulgi shifted her position to face where Wendy is, their feet were also tied while their hands were tied at their back "Turn your back on me Wendy…"</p><p> </p><p>"What?"</p><p> </p><p>"I have a knife inside my boot," Seulgi hissed.</p><p> </p><p>"You do?..." Wendy asked, surprised "Give me a sec...let me just feel where your feet are"</p><p> </p><p>"It's on the right"</p><p> </p><p>After a few attempts, Wendy finally found Seulgi's right foot and was able to pull the small knife from her boot.</p><p> </p><p>"Give it to me" Seulgi ordered, shifting her position again as she scooted right next to Wendy's back where her tied hands held her knife.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi quickly slipped the knife between her tied hands and carefully tried cutting the zip tie. She finally released a breath when she successfully cut it, and quickly took off her blindfolds. She did the same cut to her tied feet with brute force.</p><p> </p><p>She quickly took off Wendy's blindfold and began cutting the zip ties on her wrists and ankles "I completely forgot you used to play around the woods"</p><p> </p><p>"I know how to be ready, especially with what happened to mama, I just knew the rebels here are a lot more foolish...I don't know who's leading them...but he seems like someone who already sold his soul"</p><p> </p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p> </p><p>"We are going to be their human shield against the military…" Seulgi frowned, taking the fallen I.D card off the floor, and showed it to Wendy "I'm guessing we weren't the first abducted"</p><p> </p><p>"How did you know this?"</p><p> </p><p>"When you're desperate, you'll do what you think was necessary...and Joy had told me this kind of modus before, but they were using minors instead, it's against human rights to engage with minors in battle"</p><p> </p><p>"That's horrible" Was what Wendy could only utter.</p><p> </p><p>"Hands in the air!"</p><p> </p><p>The booming voice of one of their captors stopped Seulgi and Wendy from moving, and so does their breathing.</p><p> </p><p>"Take them out! Come on faster!"</p><p> </p><p>Another man ordered from outside the cabin. It was as though the man was scared.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi watched the life of Wendy leave her due to her fear "We will be fine Wendy...you'll be alright" and perhaps it was also to reassure herself.</p><p> </p><p>Bur rain of gunshots already disrupted the silence of the mountain.</p><p> </p><p>"They are here al-" Before the man running towards them could finish his sentence, a bullet already ran through his body.</p><p> </p><p>In reflex, Seulgi dragged Wendy behind her, but the extra movement reminded their captors about them and instead pushed them in front of them.</p><p> </p><p>Now Seulgi and Wendy came face to face with the newly arrived military force, surrounding them.</p><p> </p><p>With only five left, the rebels stood their ground, their weapons still up "We have civillians!, don't shoot or they will die"</p><p> </p><p>"Wendy!"</p><p> </p><p>Among the lined soldiers were Changmin, Wendy's older brother, and Seulgi's cousin.</p><p> </p><p>"Colonel please...that's my sister and cousin" Changmin, as though he found it criminal to point his rifle at her own sister, put it down.</p><p> </p><p>No one followed him to do the same unless the colonel said so.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi couldn't help but look back at her own memory.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Kuya...I also want that kind of uniform, can I wear it too?" Thirteen-year-old Seulgi asked, pertaining to her brother's military uniform</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Seulgi's brother only chuckled "Only if you can carry the weight of responsibility Seulgi"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"What kind of responsibility?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"To give your life to protect other's life"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A locked-out part deep inside Seulgi's unconscious opened, she didn't know how her brother faced his death, and she had never thought about it, never inferred it to when he had lived.</p><p> </p><p>In truth, she had forced herself to forget it, because she didn't want to know the truth, not when those people that shunned her had made her think what she was already supposed to think about her brother and father.</p><p> </p><p>Did they have the truth about her own family?</p><p> </p><p>"These men are not just rebels anymore, our commander-in-chief had already said it...we are at war against these terrorists, and war has casualties...civilians included"</p><p> </p><p>"Sir that's…"</p><p> </p><p>"Take lieutenant Shon away" And they did take Changmin away.</p><p> </p><p>"Wendy!!!"</p><p> </p><p>Wendy was too shocked that she could only take Seulgi's hand and hold it tighter.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll only give two warnings for you low-life scums to surrender and save yourselves and these civilians' lives" The commander shouted "On my order!"</p><p> </p><p>"Compadre"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi could hear the loss from these rebel's voices behind her.</p><p> </p><p>"What is it compadre?"</p><p> </p><p>"Is it worth it?"</p><p> </p><p>"Surrender or we will fire!"</p><p> </p><p>"We should surrender"</p><p> </p><p>"Last warning!"</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi could see the sudden shifting of the soldiers' grip on their rifle, as though to recollect themselves.</p><p> </p><p>"We surre-"</p><p> </p><p>"Fire at will"</p><p> </p><p>In that direst time, Seulgi's body refused to die, and without thinking about it, she pulled Wendy's body down along with her, covering her cousin's body with her own as she prayed she had evaded the countless bullets passing by them.</p><p> </p><p>The significant deathly sound had stopped and yet, Seulgi had realized she could still open her eyes and breathe.</p><p> </p><p>She's alive, and so was Wendy beneath her who was shaking.</p><p> </p><p>However, behind Seulgi was a pool of blood, coming from the lifeless body of their captors.</p><p> </p><p>Life at that moment was just so sudden.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi just heard them surrendering, she could even remember the man trembling.</p><p> </p><p>"Wendy, Seulgi!" Changmin came running back to them, helping them stand.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi swore she couldn't feel her own legs.</p><p> </p><p>"Take the corpses and document it, then clear the area"</p><p> </p><p>But hearing the colonel's voice again made her anger come back, how could she have thought to have the same uniform as this man before? However, no voice came out of her mouth.</p><p> </p><p>Seulgi tried so hard until slowly, everyone she would direct her words to had already left.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Irene was writing a letter for Kris when her phone rang, she quickly answered it and walked to her room's window, watching the moon for peace of mind "Do we have contact with Kris?"</p><p> </p><p><em>"Not yet"</em> Bogum said in defeat.</p><p> </p><p>"That's...unfortunate" The moon gazing wasn't helping. "It's all been bad news Bogum...we need to have a meeting with the internal committee"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I hate to be the bearer of bad news to you...but there's more...I just got out of the military's camp…some of Kris' men are dead"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Irene released the air she had been holding "Then find Kris now Bogum...or he will ruin everything we've worked for!" In anger, Irene threw her phone at the wall and watched it break.</p><p> </p><p>Stupid, why are you so stupid Irene?</p><p> </p><p>Irene harshly wiped the tears off her face before letting the tears roll away again, so she just let it.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Stupid Seulgi...stupid"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Irene, perching on the branch of the lipote tree at siesta hour who was silently just reading a book, was just going to mind her own business, but not anymore.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The familiar name could never be forgotten.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She peeked behind the other side of the tree she was resting at when the name perfectly fit the person she was thinking about.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Seulgi was fixing her bicycle and was having a hard time doing it.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The universe must be joking. She's the girl that Irene wanted to see last or never at all.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Irene held her breath, and took back her head, hiding behind the trunk.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>For a few seconds, there was only Seulgi's grunting, then there was a loud sound of metal breaking, and then Seulgi's loud scream. It scared away the maya birds, and so was Irene making her scream in high pitch.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Oh I'm sorry! I Didn't know there's….Irene?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>When Irene opened her eyes, it was Seulgi's sinking cheeks that she saw first, then her gaze moved up, to the dark eyes that had lost all the lights that she had remembered it had before.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The bright, charming girl that saved her in the woods before now looked vastly the opposite. She looked lifeless and dull.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Did she do this?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Hey…" Irene was speechless, so she just got down and took her white handkerchief from the branch she was seating on, keeping her book secured under her arm, she gave Seulgi one last smile before leaving "I'll let you have the spot here"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"What? No...you got here first...I'll leave"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>'Why are you still so nice Seulgi?... You should be angry' Irene looked away, the more she looked at the girl, the more she felt her insides tearing her apart.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Seulgi was true to her word, she left as she pulled her bike with the broken chain.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Irene had hated Seulgi then.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She met with Kris right after that meeting.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Are you sure you're doing what you can about Seulgi?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kris chuckled "Are you still nervous your father will find out about your rebel involvements?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I have to"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Well don't worry about it, I got it under control, I'm pretty sure that girl would never speak again, she's ostracized...for good, besides I was making sure no one gets to be close to her"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Irene nodded "Good"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I don't know why you're so worried about that girl, she's pathetic"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Stop saying that...and don't underestimate people...she makes me fearful more than anyone"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Irene opened the door to her parent’s room and found her mother there sitting on their bed, reading.</p><p> </p><p>"Honey...why are you crying?" Her mother asked, her arms out ready to bring her daughter in.</p><p> </p><p>Irene shook her head and just let herself be cradled in a mother's warmth. Emilia, her mother, had always had a warm body "What are you most scared of ma?"</p><p> </p><p>"What a surprising question...hmm...I guess every mother has the same thing they are scared of"</p><p> </p><p>"What is it?"</p><p> </p><p>"Losing their child to the devil" Emilia coaxed Irene's arm as if to give her even more warmth.</p><p> </p><p>Irene shifted closer, she's the only child after all "I'm not losing it ma"</p><p> </p><p>Not yet anyway.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kuya - used as a polite title or form of address for an older or same aged man, sibling or not</p><p>Ate - pronounced a-teh is the same form of address as Kuya but on an older woman</p><p>Compadre - a way of addressing or referring to a friend or companion.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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